Ash trays



P. R. MELLON April 16, 1957 ASH TRAYS Filed Nov. 22, 1955 xmllli United States Patent ASH TRAYS Patrick R. Mellon, San Francisco, Calif.

Application November 22, 1955, Serial No. 548,415

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-4) The present invention relates to improvements in an ash tray, and its principal object is to provide an ash tray which will :automatically extinguish any burning cigarette or cigar stub deposited therein.

it is further proposed to provide an ash tray in the form of a hollow body made to comprise a complete enclosure and constructed with an automatically closing lid, so that, upon the opening of the lid, ashes or cigar or cigarette stubs may be deposited within the body, while, upon the closing of the lid, any burning stub will quickly be extinguished for lack of oxygen.

It is additionally proposed to provide an ash tray of the character described which is attractive in appearance, made to simulate the body of a ish in a free-oating position, while the structural parts inherent in the proposed use as a normally sealed ash tray are arranged in such a manner as to add to the appearance and lifelike animation of the device.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds and the new and useful features of my ash tray will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure l shows a perspective view of my ash tray;

Figure 2, an enlarged side view of the upper part of the ash tray, parts being shown in section;

Figure 3, a side elevational view of the entire ash tray; and

Figure 4, a lsection taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my invention comprises in its principal parts, a at base 1, a pair of wings or fins 2 rising therefrom in spaced relation, and an ash tray body 3 suspended between the upper ends of the wings.

The base 1 may be made of any desired form, and is here shown as an oval. It may be formed with a raised rim 4 to make the base itself serve as an auxiliary ash tray, and the base may be used for supporting one or more channelled cigarette rests, as Ishown at 5.

The body 3 is made hollow and shaped to present a circular contour in side elevation, as shown at 6, and an oval outline in cross-section, as shown at 7, the body being symmetric about a median vertical plane, and being preferably made of two concave sections welded or brazed along their peripheries.

Viewing the body from the side as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, and referring to the right end as the front, a sector-shaped portion is removed from the upper front portion thereof to form what might be called a mouth, and leaving a substantially horizontal ledge 3 and an upright ledge 9 rising from the rear end of the front ledge.

2,788,911 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 ice The opening thus formed is for the admission of ashes, cigarette stubs and the like, and it is Vnormally closed by two lids 10 and 11, the lid 10 cooperating with the ledge 8 and the lid 11 with the ledge 9 in closing the openings formed thereby. Both lids are mounted to normally cover their ledges and to thereby close the opening, but each is capable of swinging movement toward the other to give access to the inside of the body.

To effect this result, I attach the base or rear portion of the lid 10 to the base or lower portion of lid 11 by means of a horizontal hinge 12, and mount va crossrod 13 extending through the body underneath the hinge.

The upright li-d 11 has a lip 14 extending downwardly to a point slightly below the cross-rod, and the lip is connected to one end of a coiled spring 15, which passes below the cross-rod and has its other end secured upon a bracket 16 projecting downwardly from the horizontal lid 10,

Thus, the spring is tensioned by the cross-rod to exert forward pull on the lip 14 for seating the upright lid and to exert downward pull on the bracket 16 for seating the lid 10. When either lid is opened for access to the interior, the spring automatically closes the saune.

Each of the lids is formed with a ange 17-18 along its free edge to engage over the outer face of the body for insuring a substantially air-tight seal for properly seating the lids.

To allow for easy removal of ashes and stubs from the body, I make the upper portion of the body removable. This is accomplished by providing a central horizontal split 19 in the body, substantially in alinement with the ledge 8, so that the upper portion 20 of the body may be lifted off. The upper portion is held to the lower portion by a close-fitting flange 21 engaging over the edge of the main body portion. 'l

The upright lid is held in substantially the same position, whether theportion 20, which carries the ledge 9, is in place or not, since the lip 14 bearing against the cross-rod 13 limits the backward swing of the lid.

The lip 14 may also be made to extend substantially through the width of the body, so that the narrowing of the'latter toward the front forms a natural stop for the lip and the lid 11.

For adding animation and natural beauty to the lash tray, the body may be equipped with a tail 22 and eyes 23 to insure a desired aesthetic effect. Y

In use, my ash tray may be readily placed on any ilat surface, as a table or the like, the base being provided with a resilient covering.

Por dropping ashes, or cigarette stubs into the ash tray, the user merely kswings either of the lids 10-11 toward the other to provide the necessary opening.

Upon release of the selected lid, the latter automatically snaps back into closing position, thereby cutting olf the air supply and extinguishing any burning stub dropped into the tray.

When it is desired to empty the ash tray, the user merely lifts off the upper portion 20 of the body, and dumps the contents. During this operation the lid 11 substantially retains its upright position, due to the lip 14 striking a stationary object, as the cross-rod 13 or the wall of the body.

lt should be understood that where only one movable lid is desired, the other lid may be permanently secured upon its ledge to form a rigid closure for the same.

I claim:

l. An ash tray comprising a hollow body having a circular outline in side elevation and being oval in crosssection, a sector-shaped opening in the body so as to present a substantially horizontal ledge and an upright ledge rising from the rear end of the former ledge, a lid for each ledge, and mounting means for the lids operative for normally seating both lids on their respective ledges with freedom of opening movement of each lid present a substantially horizontal ledge andran'upright ledge risingtfr'om the rear end 'of the former ledge, a

Y lid for each ledge, and mounting means for the lids operative for normally seating both lids on their Vrespective ledges with freedom of opening movement of each lid toward the other, the said means comprising Va hinge connecting the two lids`, a rod extending through the body underneath the hinge, a lip projecting downwardly from the Yupright lid to a point below the rod, and a spring connecting the lip and the horizontal lid and passing underneath the rod, so as to be tensioned thereby.

3. An ash tray comprising a hollow body having a circular outline in side elevation and being oval in crosssection, a sector-shaped opening in the body so as to present a substantially horizontal ledge and an upright ledge rising from the rear end of the former ledge, a lid for each ledge, and mounting means for the lids operative for normally vseating bothV lids on their respective ledges-with freedom of opening movement of each lid toward the other, the said means comprising a hinge connecting the two'lids, a rod extending through the bodyY underneath the hinge, a lip projecting downwardly from the upright lid to a point below the rod, and a spring connecting theY lip and the horizontal lid and passing underneath the rod so as to be tensioned thereby, and the lip being made to cooperate with a stationary part of the body in limiting the rearward swing of the upright lid.

44. An ash trayY comprising a hollow body having a circular outline in side elevation and being oval in crosssection, a sector-shaped opening in the body so as to present a substantially horizontal ledge and an upright ledge rising from the rear end of the former ledge,` a lid for each ledge, and mounting means for the lids operative forY normally seating both lids on ltheir respective ledges with freedom of opening movement of each lid Vtoward the other, the said means comprising a hinge connecting the two lids, a rod extending through the body underneath the hinge, a lip projecting downwardly from the upright lid to a point below the rod, and a spring connecting the lip and the horizontal lid and passing underneath the rod so as toY be tensioned thereby, the lip being .made to cooperate with a stationary'part of .d Y the body in limiting rearward swing of the upright lid, and both lids beingcornmensur-ate'with the respective ledges and having flanges surrounding the ledges.

5. An ash tray comprising a hollow body having `a circular outline in side elevation and being oval in crosssection, a sector-shaped opening in the body so as to present a substantially horizontal ledge and an upright ledge rising from the Vrear end of the former ledge, a lid for each ledge, and mounting means for the lids operative for normally seating both lids on their respective ledges with freedom of opening movement of each lid toward the other, the body being split in the plane of the lower ledge to vallow the upper portion to be removed from the lower portion for emptying the ash tray and having yielding means for clamping the upper portion to thelower portion;

6. An ash tray comprising a Vhollow body having a circular outline in side elevation and being oval in crosssection, a sector-shaped opening in the body so as to pre-V sent a substantially horizontal ledge and an upright ledge rising from the rear end of the fonrner ledge, a lid forY each ledge, and mountingl means for the lids operative Y for normally seating both lids on their respective ledges with freedom of opening movement of each lid toward the other, the body being split in the plane of the lower ledge to allow the upper portion to be removed from the lower portion for emptying the ash tray and having yielding means 'for clamping the upper portion to the lower portion, and the mounting means for the lids including means for limiting the Vrearward swing of the closure for one of the ledges and a spring-operated lid for the other ledge.

References Cited in the tile of this patent i UNITED STATES PATENTS 80,297 vLyman July 28, 1863 262,514 Trotter, v Aug. 8, 1882 820,067 'Richardsen May V8, 1906 1,920,091 Madden July 25, 1933 1,984,228 Morhous Q Dec.V l1, V1,934 2,625,292 Spender .r Jan. 13, 1953 

